Managing Cultural Divides

Overview/Description
 Did you know that if you whistled on the streets of Russia you'd be violating a forbidden practice, or that in Madagascar pregnant women may not sit in doorways? If you naively thought that language would be your only barrier to striking up that red hot deal in Italy, you're in for a culture shock. When engaging in international business, there are many cultural barriers to successful negotiations that can, if violated, land you back on the airplane to home. This course will help you understand the critical importance of developing skills in cultural understanding before you get on the plane. Learn to navigate barriers of communication and negotiation and to form a synergistic alliance that will leave both parties feeling they've accomplished their goals and developed strong, new relationships that will give you the best of both worlds.

Target Audience
 International business travelers, managers, directors, project managers, project team managers, and other personnel conducting business with other cultures

Expected Duration
3.0 hours

Lesson Objectives:

The Case for Cultural Learning

  • recognize the benefits of advancing cultural learning in his or her organization.
  • choose items that are influences in cultural development.
  • identify trends and issues in globalization.
  • choose positive outcomes that result from advancing cultural learning.

    • Intercultural Communication Skills

  • recognize the benefits of developing communication skills for intercultural relations.
  • identify truths related to communication.
  • select cultural factors that influence international communication.
  • choose strategies for communicating in a manner helpful to his or her foreign-language counterpart.

    • Cross-cultural Negotiation Skills

  • recognize the critical importance of developing intercultural negotiation skills.
  • identify important considerations in cross-cultural negotiations.
  • choose variables in negotiation environments that affect outcomes.
  • select effective strategies for using an interpreter.

    • Creating Cultural Synergy

  • recognize the benefits of creating cultural synergy.
  • identify skills needed to promote cultural synergy.
  • match categories of international companies with their descriptions.
  • choose strategies for developing synergy in the new work culture.

    • Course Number: COMM0601